


Say Yes

by WordsmithMusings



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Good Narcissa Black Malfoy, Head Boy Blaise Zabini, Head Girl Hermione Granger, Love Confessions, Marriage, Mentions of Sex, Non-Explicit Sex, Pining Blaise, Ritual Magic, Slytherins Being Slytherins, The Long Game, mothers know best, ritual bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:55:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25539895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsmithMusings/pseuds/WordsmithMusings
Summary: To win the heart of the Golden Girl, Blaise Zabini would break all the rules.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Blaise Zabini
Comments: 44
Kudos: 173
Collections: Dumbledore's Armada: Wheel of Death Flash Fiction Comp





	Say Yes

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Dumbledore Armada's Flash Fic Wheel of Death Challenge. 
> 
> My Character pick: Blaise Zabini  
> Character: Narcissa Malfoy  
> Trope: Forced Proximity  
> Theme: Illusions of Power  
> Quote: “I don’t need it to be easy, I need it to be worth it.” – Lil Wayne
> 
> **Winner (tied): Best Use of Theme**
> 
> Thanks to my writer's circle for alpha and beta help, and to the lovely Frumpologist for hosting. Enjoy!

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/189254504@N02/50204490028/in/album-72157715417020977/)

When Blaise Zabini had visited his Godmother after his first term at Hogwarts, his face ashen and his eyes wet with unshed tears, Narcissa knew he had done the one thing neither she nor his mother had ever encouraged. He'd fallen in love. "Are you sure?" Narcissa asked. "Perhaps you're just caught up in physical attraction." Blaise looked at her, face damp with silent tears, and nodded. 

It was a conversation they would have every year thereafter. Blaise could no more be with Hermione Granger than Narcissa Black could be with James Potter. It was just the way it was. 

But then the war ended with Narcissa Malfoy winning the long game she had laid out to protect herself, her son, and her godson. "Now you can follow your heart," she told Blaise as he prepared to go back to Hogwarts for an 8th year. "Follow rule one," she encouraged, "You can play the long game. You're Head Boy, after all. She's Head Girl. You will be in the Head Dorms together night after night, day after day. So many things can happen." 

Blaise swallowed and nodded, not believing it could be done. He was a consummate Slytherin, however, raised by two queens of their house. He'd always been grateful to have such strong beautiful women to guide him. And with Hermione Granger in the mix, he would need every single ounce of Slytherin know-how and to cling tightly to the rules his Mothers had given him. 

He entered the Head’s dorm precisely one week earlier, as requested by the Headmistress. Hermione was there when he walked in the door, her bushy brown hair piled high upon her head. She wore not a stitch of makeup, muggle jeans, and an oversized t-shirt. She met his eyes with her deep amber ones. Her lips said ‘hello’ and he said ‘hi.’ Blaise knew right then that she was the one. 

***

Convincing Hermione to give him a chance to be friends was easy, “new beginnings and all that.” He followed Narcissa's plan and example to the letter. He forced Draco to do the same. It was easier than he expected. 

"Her birthday is in September. You are not to give her a book. Everyone will give her that. Instead, offer her this," Narcissa told him, handing him a beautiful flower barrette, "For her hair." Blaise recognized the heirloom immediately and asked if Narcissa was sure. The older witch had merely smirked as she always did, "Of course, I am. She'll have the full set before you marry." Blaise nodded gratefully and did as he was told. It was the first time Hermione initiated contact with him, glomping on to him in a hug that made his senses reel. Tentatively, he allowed a tendril of his magic to wrap around her waist as his arms encircled her. She shivered in his arms, and he smirked. 

And so it began. 

By Yule, the two were dating. She came home with him for Easter and met his Mothers. When she accepted an apprenticeship in France that summer, Blaise offered her a wing of her own in his home there. That night as they made love, he confessed his adoration and asked for permission to court her officially. "We're already together," she laughed, her skin still glowing from their shared orgasms. "This is casual, courting means someday I'll get on one knee and you'll say yes." 

Hermione's eyes widened. "You want to marry me?" 

Blaise gave her a small smile. "Someday." 

The look she had given him had set his heart aflutter, and when she pressed her body into his again, he happily made love to her once more. 

***

Two masteries across four continents later, Hermione sat in the middle of a vineyard, surrounded by fairy lights. In front of her, on one knee, was her boyfriend of five years. Blaise never failed to take her breath away with his romantic gestures and quiet nature. He listened when she spoke and never rushed her to make a decision. When she had wanted to pursue a second mastery, he had simply asked when and where and found a place for them to live while she worked. It hadn't been a hesitation, only a knowing smile and a nod of support. It was overwhelming at times to be loved by a man like him. He never backed down from a fight with her and never let her run away when she was mad. He kissed her goodnight even when he was angry and fucked her like a man possessed when he was happy. 

"Say yes," he whispered across the space between them, and Hermione felt her magic rise to meet his the way it had begun to over the last few years as they spent more and more time alone together in one place or the next. "Say yes, Mia. Let me spend the rest of my life loving you." Hermione felt her throat catch, and for the first time in her life, felt words fail her. She nodded furiously, "Yes," she whispered at last, as she watched him slide the antique ring with glittering sapphires and diamond on to her finger. "Yes. On one condition." 

"Name it," he replied, knowing already what she would ask for. 

"Narcissa told me about magical marriage. I'd like, I'd like to get married traditionally if that's okay with you," she added, her teeth sinking into her lip. 

Blaise dragged his thumb across her lip freeing it and replaced it with his own. "Sounds wonderful."

***

On the day of their ceremony, Hermione found herself full of nerves. She wasn't worried about spending the rest of her life with Blaise. She wasn't but - her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door, and when she opened it, she found Blaise standing there with a hand over his face, covering his eyes. He looked debonair in a navy suit, his silver tie offset beautifully against the crisp whiteness of his shirt. The beard he'd grown, accentuated his full lips, and though she had already performed her ritual cleansing, Hermione leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. He didn't question it but instead kissed her steadily, his magic wrapping around her in the way she needed at the moment. She pulled back with a contented sigh and giggled when she noted his eyes squeezed tightly closed, his hand having drifted to her waist. 

"You can look," she whispered. 

"It's bad luck," he shrugged. 

"Please look at me, Blaise." Instantly his eyes opened and his gaze traveled from the top of her riotous curls, noting the flower barrette holding it back on one side, down to the antique lace that he knew came from one of their mother's gowns. His eyes widened slightly as he took in the open back as she turned and he found himself longing to cover the expanse of bare skin with his hands as he hiked her dress up and plunged into her. His eyes darkened and he knew she could feel his immediate arousal

"What's the matter?" he asked, wrapping a single tendril of his magic about her.

"Are you sure?" she asked, "It won't be easy, being married to me. Our friends," her words trailed off and Blaise recognized immediately the anxiousness his intended was feeling. _No wonder her hair was so big_ , he mused recalling how big it had gotten before their NEWTS so many years ago. 

"I don't need it to be easy," he replied with a casual shrug, "I need it to be worth it." 

"Is it worth it? Have the last few years been worth it?"

He took her hand in his and placed a gentle kiss upon her knuckles, "With you by my side, I have no doubt it'll be worth it."

Relief flooded her face, "Thank you for doing this for me."

"I would do anything for you, Cara Mia."

"You make it seem as if I have all the power."

"Because you do," he replied bending his knees slightly to meet her eyes. "Didn't I ever tell you rule number two, love?" she shook her head no, "Remind me to tell you rule number two later."

"Blaise, how many rules are there?"

"Three."

She contemplated him for a moment before asking what she'd always wanted to know, "How many have you broken for me?"

He smirked at her, "All of them."  
  
****

Hermione entered the ritual circle, her eyes gazing over the space that her future husband's Godmother had set up for her. If anyone had told her that Narcissa Malfoy would do this for them, for her, she never would've believed it. She felt her nerves settle as she met Blaise's eyes across the space. 

"Not too late," she heard in her ear. Hermione's eyes drifted over to her best friend, who had reluctantly agreed to walk her down the short aisle to the edge of the ritual circle. "Stop it," she giggled. "I'm sure.”

"But in ritual, Hermione. You’ll never be able to divorce him. to leave him."

Hermione rolled her eyes, they'd been having the same fight for the last few months. Ever since Narcissa had first mentioned it to Hermione in passing, it had been all she wanted. To get married in the most sacred way in the magical world. It had meant putting a lot of things to rest, setting aside a lot of old prejudices as Hermione allowed the older woman to guide her through ritual preparation and the magic that would be required. Hours before Hermione had been rubbed and scrubbed within an inch of her life. Everything had been specially chosen for this moment, for her to cross the ritual ward line to join Blaise. 

Though she had woken with butterflies in her stomach, standing in front of him now, she felt the full weight of his love for her. She shivered under the weight of the magic in the air. “I’m sure, Harry,” she whispered again her eyes still firmly on Blaise’s. Harry sighed again and at Narcissa's nod, walked her to the edge of the ward line. Blaise nodded at him, before accepting Hermione's hand, and then it was just the two of them inside the warded circle, and the marriage ritual began in earnest as their small gathering of friends and family stood outside the circle, answering the replies of the ritual, giving of their magic as dictated to bless the magical union of the two in front of them. 

If anyone had any doubts about the love Blaise and Hermione had for each other, it was laid to rest as the cords from their handfast glowed steadily brighter, the golden hue extending from their hands connecting their hearts and engulfing them in light as pure as starlight. Blaise leaned forward and placed his lips on Hermione’s, and with a last burst of starlight, the pair disappeared from the center of the circle.

“What just happened?” exclaimed Harry.

Across from him, Draco rolled his eyes. “Obviously you didn't fully read the ritual.”

“They disappeared because Lady Magic accepted their bond,” replied Millie from beside Harry, her skin radiant with magic, and her eyes damp with tears. “Now they have to fulfill their vow to Lady Magic.”

“Fulfill their vow to Lady Magic?” Harry repeated.

“It means they have to fuck like bunnies for the next week, Potter,” muttered Pansy with a roll of her eyes.

“Honestly, Pansy,” chastised Narcissa with a roll of her eyes. She gave her son a kiss to his cheek and watched as he left, his hands in his pockets, and if she wasn't mistaken, his eyes on Harry Potter's ass. "One down, one to go," she smirked as she waved her wand to reset the ritual space. "Until next time, Goddess," breathed Narcissa, "May magic guide us and keep all your children safe." 

Narcissa felt a breeze brush against her skin. Lady Hectate was smiling upon her still. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Your comments and kudos mean the world to me. Stay safe.


End file.
